Force applicator

ABSTRACT

A force applicator comprises a mandrel to be connected to a rotary drilling machine, a piston on the mandrel, a cylinder around the piston, a spline connecting the mandrel and cylinder, and two earth bore engageable releasable anchor means, one of the anchor means being connected to the mandrel and the other to the cylinder. The mandrel is tubular to supply pressure fluid to the drilling machine and to the piston and cylinder for applying axial force to the mandrel. Suitable control means enables the operator to release the mandrel anchor means and set the cyliner anchor means and apply pressure fluid to the outer face of the piston to press the mandrel in toward the end of the hole being drilled or apply pressure fluid to the inner face of the piston to withdraw the mandrel from the hole; or to release the cylinder anchor means and set the mandrel anchor means and apply pressure fluid to the inner head of the cylinder to move the cylinder towards the end of the hole or apply pressure fluid to the outer head of the cylinder to move the cylinder out of the hole. By this method the drill is progressively advanced in the hole under force or withdrawn therefrom. Guide means is provided at the inner end of the mandrel to point the mandrel and drilling machine in the desired direction. In one embodiment the control means is part of the same in-hole unit as the rest of the force applicator and includes an automatic valve that automatically shifts the pressure fluid from one anchor means to the other and one side of the piston to the other to apply inward pressure to the mandrel to the stroke limit of the cylinder and then apply inward pressure to the cylinder to reset it and then repeat the cycle, but no control means is available to actuate the anchor means and piston and cylinder means to withdraw the mandrel and cylinder. In another embodiment the control means is a separate unit outside the hole and five flexible conduits connect the inhole force applicator unit to the control means to supply pressure fluid to the drilling machine, to the two opposite sides of the piston, and to the two anchor means. Special winch means are provided for the parallel conduits.

United States Patent [1 1 Kellner 1 Mar. 26, 1974 FORCE APPLICATOR [75]Inventor: Jackson M. Kellner, Midland, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Smith International 1nc., Midland,

Tex.

[22] Filed: Apr. 16, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 351,629

Related US, Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 189,844, Oct.18, 1971,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 175/94, 175/62, 175/99, 175/230, 175/325 [51] Int. Cl E211)7/00, E2lb 3/12, E210 9/00 [58] Field of Search 175/94, 99, 97, 98, 62,9 175/230, 53; 299/31 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS556,718 3/1896 Semmer 175/94 2,712,920 7/1955 Cullen et al. 175/992,946,578 7/1960 De Smaele.... 175/62 X R24,965 4/1961 Kirkpatrick175/94 X 3,180,437 4/1965 Kellner et al. 175/230 3,354,969 11/1967Ebeling 175/94 3,376,942 4/1968 Van Winkle..... 175/99 X 3,399,7389/1968 Haspert 175/53. 3,604,754 9/1971 Kampf-Emden et al 299/31 X3,642,326 2/1972 Steufmehl 299/31 Primary Examiner-David H. Brown chormeans being connected to the mandrel and the other to the cylinder. Themandrel is tubular to supply pressure fluid to the drilling machine andto the piston and cylinder for applying axial force to the mandrel.Suitable control means enables the operator to-release the mandrelanchor means and set the cyliner anchor means and apply pressure fluidto the outer face of the piston to press the mandrel in toward the endof the hole being drilled or apply pressure fluid to the inner face ofthe piston to withdraw the mandrel from the hole; or to release thecylinder anchor means and set the mandrel anchor means and applypressure fluid to the inner head of the cylinder to move the cylindertowards the end of the hole or apply pressure fluid to the outer head ofthe cylinder to move the cylinder out of the hole. By this method thedrill is progressively advanced in the hole under force or withdrawntherefrom. Guide means is provided at the inner end of the mandrel topoint the mandrel and drilling machine in the desired direction. In oneembodiment the control means is part of the same in-hole unit as therest of the force applicator and includes an automatic valve thatautomatically shifts the pressure fluid from one anchor means to theother and one side of the piston to the other to apply inward pressureto the mandrel to the stroke limit of the cylinder and then apply inwardpressure to the cylinder to reset it and then repeat the cycle, but nocontrol means is available to actuate the anchor means and piston andcylinder means to withdraw the mandrel and cylinder. In anotherembodiment the control means is a separate unit outside the hole andfive flexible conduits connect the in-hole force applicator unit to thecontrol means to supply pressure fluid to the drilling machine, to thetwo opposite sides of the piston, and to the two anchor means. Specialwinch means are provided for the parallel conduits.

45 Claims, 44 Drawing Figures PATENTEU M R 2 6 I974 sum 01 [1F 16 M MYPATENTEUMARZS I974 sum '02 nr 16 may PATENTEDMARZS I974 7 9 SHEET 03 0F16 PATENTEDMARZB I974 3.799.277

sum 05 0F 16 PATENTED MARE 6 I974 SHEET 08 0F 1 PATENTED MAR 26 I974 sum13 0F 16 PATENTEDMARZB I974 SHEET PATENTEDMARZIS [974 3,799 277 sum 15[1F 16 Mi! F was W1 7 FORCE APPLICATOR CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATEDAPPLICATION:

This application is a continuation of prior copending application Ser.No, l89,844 filed Oct. 18, 1971, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates to earth boring equipment and more particularly to a forceapplicator to apply axial force to a rotary drilling bit.

The force applicator is particularly intended to be used in boringhorizontal holes through coal beds a distance of up to a thousand feetto vent the formation of methane gas prior to the coal bed being mined.

2. Description of the Prior Art Coal bed vent holes have been drilledwith auger bits. After the hole is several hundred feet long,directional control difficulty is experienced. It has been suggestedthat an in-hole drilling machine such as has been employed indirectional drilling of wells be employed to increase directionalstability, but in the absence of gravity to load the bit it wasnecessary to apply axial force through the drill stem and hencedifficulty was experienced in horizontal drilling.

It is known to hydraulically load a drill bit in the rotary system ofdrilling oil wells. This has been accomplished by providingthe rotatingmandrel that turns the drill bit with a fluid pressure driven pistonmovable axially while rotating in a cylinder that is releasably anchoredto the side of the bore hole. When the mandrel reaches its limit oftravel the anchor is released and falls by gravity to a new loweredposition or the mandrel is elevated and latched to the cylinder and thenlowered to reposition the cylinder. This is shown in U. S. Pat. No.3,088,532 issued May 7, 1963 on the application of J. M. Kellner and No.3,298,449 issued Jan. 17, 1967 on the application of William S. Bachmanet al. It is also known to provide automatic valve means in suchapparatus as shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,105,561 issued Oct. l, 1963 onthe ammplication of J. M. Kellner. The foregoing patents are only a fewof a large number that have issued relative to hydraulic drill collars,hydraulic bit guides, hydraulic wall anchors, hydraulic packers, and thelike.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention utilized to apply forceto a mandrel which while moving axially is held against rotation so asto take the torque reaction of a rotary drilling machine connected tothe mandrel.

According to the invention a tubular mandrel for transmitting pressurefluid and axial force is provided with means at one end for makingconnection to the non rotating part of a rotary drilling machine. Apiston carried by the mandrel moves in a cylinder which is splined tothe mandrel. Fluid actuated releasable anchor means for engaging thebore wall are carried by the mandrel and cylinder respectively. Guidemeans is provided on the mandrel of the inner end thereof, that is, theend adjacent the drilling machine. Control means is provided forcontrolling the application of pressure fluid to the piston and cylindermeans and to the anchor means as required for the desired operatingmethod.

In one embodiment the control means includes an automatic valve toalternately apply pressure fluid to set the cylinder anchor means and,with the mandrel anchor means released, pressure the outward face of thepiston, thereby to urge the mandrel inwardly, and then, when the limitof the stroke of the piston and cylinder means is reached, toapply'pressure fluid to set the mandrel anchor means and, withthe'cylinder'anchor means released, pressure the inward cylinder head tomove it inwardly. The mandrel is connected to its outer end to a stringof drill pipe through which the pressure fluid is transmitted and bymeans of which the apparatus is pulled out of the hole when desired.This method of operation is semi-automatic, being automatic duringdrilling and manual in withdrawal.

In another embodiment five flexible hoses windable on a winch aresubstituted for the string of drill pipe, eliminating the time andtrouble of making up and breaking apart the drill string when going intoand coming out of the hole being drilled. One of the conduits suppliespressure fluid through the mandrel to the drilling machine. Two of theconduits supply pressure fluid to the opposite sides of the piston ofthe piston and cylinder means. The other two conduits supply pressurefluid to the anchor means. Control means is provided outside the holefor selectively. applying pressure fluid to the anchor means and toopposite sides of the piston and cylinder means, whereby the cylindermay be anchored and the mandrel pressed inward or pulled-outward; or themandrel may be anchored and the cylinder pushed inward or outward. Withthis arrangement and by this method the drilling machine can be bothpushed into the hole and withdrawn by the force applicator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a detailed description ofpreferred embodiments of the invention reference will now be made to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a semi-schematic view showing a vertical section through ahorizontal earth bore with apparatus according to the invention disposedtherein shown in elevation;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an inhole rotary drillingmachine with which the subject invention may be used;

FIGS. 3, 7, 8, l2, l3, 18, 19 and 22 together form an axial sectionthrough a force applicator according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21 and 23 are transverse sectionstaken through the force applicator shown in the preceding drawings, suchsections being taken on the planes indicated in said preceding drawmgs;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are a half section and an end view of the grippingcollet shown in FIG. 7;

FIGS. 24, 25, 28, 30 and 31 together form an axial section through aforce applicator according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 26, 27, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39 are transversesections through the force applicator shown in the last above referredto drawings;

FIG. 40 is a side elevation of out-of-hole equipment used in conjunctionwith the in-hole apparatus of the second embodiment of the forceapplicator;

FIG. 41 is a plan view of the aforesaid out-of-hole apparatus;

FIG. 42 is an end view of said out-of-hole apparatus;

FIG. 43 is a schematic diagram of a pneumatichydraulic circuit forcontrol means for the apparatus; and

FIG. 44 is a schematic view of automatic means useful in conjunctionwith the control means.

FIGS. 3 through 39 are substantially full size and to scale for anexemplary tool, and FIGS. 40 through 42 are to scale.

As is apparent from the sectioning of the drawings, all parts are madeof steel unless otherwise indicated or stated.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In this patent specification,unless the context indicates otherwise, the term inward is used todenote the axial direction toward the end of the bore hole and the termoutward is used to denote the axial direction away from the bottom ofthe hole.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown an earth bore 51. The termearth is here and in the claims used in a broad sense to cover allmaterials of which the planet Earth is formed; it will be understoodthat frequently the earth will be coal. At the inner end of the earthbore is a drill bit 53 connected to the rotary part 55 of a rotarydrilling machine 57. The non-rotating part 59 of the drilling machine isconnected to mandrel anchor means 61. To the outer end of the mandrelanchor means is connected mandrel 63.

The mandrel, which is made up ofa number of tubular sections, includes asection 65 which carries a hexagonal upset 67 which travels inside tube69, the latter having a hexagonal inner cross section. Tube 69 and upset67 provide spline means 71 which allows the mandrel to move axiallyrelative to tube 69 (and parts connected to the tube) and preventsrelative rotation between the mandrel and the tube (and parts connectedto the tube).

The tube 69 is connected to cylinder anchor means 73, the latter beingshown in set, i.e., expanded or bore wall engaging position, thecondition when the force applicator is used to apply force to thedrilling machine 57. The anchor means in turn is connected to theextension 75 of cylinder 77. The mandrel 63 continues on from the splinesection 65 thereof through cylinder anchor means 73, cylinder extension75, into cylinder 77 where its piston rod section 79 is provided with apiston 81. Piston 81 reciprocates in cylinder 77 and together the pistonand cylinder form piston and cylinder means 83. Within cylinderextension 75 is disposed control means in the form of an automatic valvefor delivering pressure fluid from the mandrel to the appropriate one ofthe anchor means 61, 73 as required to carry out automatically thesequence of the operating method during drilling.

The piston rod section of the mandrel extends outwardly beyond thecylinder 77 and connects to guide means 85, which has a flow passageaxially therethrough to conduct pressure fluid to the mandrel. The guidemeans in turn connects to drill pipe string 87 which extends out theopen or outer end of the earth bore. A guide funnel 91 is disposed inthe open end of the earth bore. In lieu of drill pipe string 87, aflexible hose could be used to supply pressure fluid to the forceapplicator and drilling machine. Whether a string of drill pipe or aflexible hose is used, the outer end will be connected to a source offluid under pressure, such as water, mud, gas, air, or oil, normallywater. The connection will be such as to maintain fluid connection whileallowing advance and retraction of the drilling machine and bit into andout of the hole.

A rotary drilling machine with which it is contemplated that the forceapplicator is to be used is one known as a Dyna-Drill. Apparatus of thistype is shown in various publications, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.2,898,087 and 3,112,801, and the DYNA-DRILL Handbook published 1970 bythe Dyna-Drill Company Division of Smith International, Inc. Such arotary drilling machine is shown schematically in FIG. 2, which is basedon the illustration at the right on page 1870 of the l97071 edition ofthe Composite Catalogue of Oil Field Equipment and Service. As theredescribed, the drilling machine 57 includes a motor 101 which isessentially a three-stage Moyno Pump run in reverse and comprising aboutone-half of the total 25 foot length of the tool. The motor consists ofan obround-shaped spiral passage 103 containing a solid steel rotor 105which moves eccentrically. Shaped in a regular-recurring wave form, thisrotor is free to move at the outer end 107, while the inner end 109 isattached to a connecting rod 111. The other end of the connecting rod isattached to tubular drive shaft 113. Thrust bearings 115, 117 on thedrive shaft prevent it from moving axially inside housing extension 119.When water is pumped under pressure into housing connection 121 at theouter end of the tool, the pressure moves spring loaded slide dump valve123, closing post 125. The water is thus directed down the annulus 127between the rotor 105 and the rubber lined spiral passageway 103. Inorder for flow to occur, the rotor is displaced and turned by thepressure of the fluid column, thus rotating the connecting rod 111, thetubular drive shaft 113 and the bit sub 129 that is connected to the endof the drive shaft where it extends beyond housing extension 119. Thewater, or other fluid, leaves the annulus 127 by entering port 131 inthe tubular drive shaft and passing through the drive shaft, bit sub,and diamond bit 53 via passages 133, where it enters the bore hole. Thewater leaving the drill bit passes back to the open end of the holeoutside the drilling machine and the drill pipe or hose connectedthereto, carrying away the detritus and cooling the bit. It will be seenthat although the drive shaft 113 rotates relative to the tool housing135, inward force applied axially to the housing through connection 121is transferred to the drive shaft 113 through the thrust bearings 117and thence to the bit 53. Likewise, outwardly directed force applied tohousing 135 is transferred to the drive shaft through thrust bearing 115and thence to the bit.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 et seq, there are shown the details of a firstembodiment of a force applicator embodying the invention. Beginning withFIGS. 3-5, there is shown the outward extension 151 of the piston rodsection 79 of the mandrel 63 of the force applicator. This extensionfits inside the tubular body 153 of guide means 85. The guide means hasa plurality of bore wall engageable axially extending ribs 155circumferentially spaced apart providing axially extending fluidpassages 156 therebetween. The body 153 is sealed to mandrel section 151by O-ring 157.

A tubular connection means 159 is fitted into the outer end of body 153and sealed thereto by O-ring 161. Connection means 159 is threaded at163 for connection to drill pipe string 87 (FIG. 1) or to a flexiblehose. Wrench flats 165 facilitate connecting the pipe string or hosewiththe connection means 159.

Referring especially to FIGS. 5 and 6, the body of the guide means isconnected to the mandrel section 151 of the force applicator and to theconnection means 159 by means of drive pins 161, 163.

Referrring now to FIGS. 7 and 8 there is shown the piston and cylindermeans 83. This includes cylinder 77 and the piston rod section 79 of themandrel 63. Cylinder heads 171, 173 are respectively fastened and sealedto the cylinder by threaded connection means 175 and screws 177 (seealso FIG. 9) and O-ring 179. The mandrel section 79 extends slidablythrough the cylinder heads and is sealed therewith by annular rubberseal rings 181, 183 bonded to the heads.

An annular piston body 187 is disposed around mandrel section 79 andsealed thereto by O-ring 189. A mandrel gripping collet 191 (see alsoFIGS. 10 and 11) is held between tapered socket 193 in the piston bodyand tapered ring 195. The ring 195 is pressed against the collet axiallyby compression ring 197 which is screwed into the end of the pistonbody. By this means the piston body is held against axial movementrelative to the mandrel.

The piston body carries a piston ring 201 which is held thereon againstshoulder 203 by a snap ring 205. The piston ring is sealed to the pistonbody by O-ring 207. To the outer periphery of the piston ring is moldedannular rubber seal 209.

At either side of the piston body there are ports 211, 213 through themandrel communicating with outer and inner spaces 215, 217 insidecylinder 77 on opposite sides of the piston 81. Conduits 219, 221connect to ports 211, 213 and extend inside the mandrel inwardly to thecontrol means inside cylinder extension 75.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 12 and 13, there is shown within cylinderextension 75 an automatic valve means 225 providing control means forthe force applicator. The valve means comprises an annular valve chamber227 formed between the exterior of the valve section 229 of mandrel 63and an annular valve sleeve 231. Mandrelport 233 provides an inlet tothe valve chamber for the water or other pressure fluid in the mandrel.

Mandrel ports 23S and 237 provide outlets from the valve chamber leadingto conduits for pressurizing either the cylinder anchor means and theouter space 215 of the piston and cylinder means (FIG. 7) or the mandrelanchor means and the inner space 217 of the piston and cylinder meansdepending on whichport is in communication with the valve chamber.Specifically, outlet port 235 connects to conduit 22] leading to innerspace 217 of the piston and cylinder means 83 (FIG. 7) and to conduit239 leading to mandrel anchor 61. Outlet port 237 connects to conduit219 leading to outer space 215 ofthe piston and cylinder means and toconduit 241 leading to the cylinder anchor means 73. FIGS. 14 and 15show the disposition, within the valve section 229 of the mandrel, ofthe parallel conduits 219, 221 leading to the piston and cylinder meansand of the parallel conduits 239, 241 leading to the two anchor means.

Referring'again to FIG. 12, the valve sleeve 231 has inwardly extendingannular flanges 251, 253 through which slidably extends the mandrelsection 229. Annular rubber seal rings 255, 257 bonded to flanges 251,253 seal the flanges to the mandrel section. Extending from each flangeaway from the sleeve are two sets of resilient, flexible latch'fingers261, 263 (see also FIGS. 16 and 17). These sets of latch fingers areadapted respectively to engage latch rings 265, 267 which, as shown inFIGS. 14 and 15, are secured to the mandrel section 229 by drive pins269, 271. In the position shown in FIG. 12, latch fingers 261 areengaged with latch ring 265, to prevent movement of the valve sleeve 231inwardly along the mandrel section. 229, whereas latch fingers 263 arein position for their tapered surfaces to ride up over the tapered endof ring 267 to expand the latch fingers so they can pass over ring 267and drop into engaged position with ring 267 when latch fingers 261 arereleased and the valve sleeve moves along the mandrel section. Suchrelease and movement are effected by the means next to be described.

A valve actuator means comprises two support sleeves 271, 273 screwedonto the ends of valve sleeve 231. Vent ports 275, 277 provide for fluidflow into and out of the annular spaces defined between these sleevesand themandrel section. Ferrules 279, 281, respectively, are screwed tothe ends of the support sleeves 271, 273. Axially slidably disposed onmandrel section 229 and telescoping inside ferrules 279, 281,respectively, are latch release sleeves 283, 285. Shoulders 287, 289engage ferrules 279, 281, respectively, to limit travel of the releasesleeves away from the valve sleeve. Compression springs 291, 293,respectively, captured between ferrules 279, 281 and rings 295, 297 (seeFIGS. 8 and 13) screwed onto the release sleeves 283, 285, urge therelease sleeves away from the valve sleeve to their limits.

When relative movement of the valve section 229 of the mandrel and thecylinder extension is such as to cause engagement of ring 295 withcylinder head 173 (FIG. 8), further such movement causes movement of therelease sleeve 283 toward the latch fingers 261. This continues untilthe guide nose 301 of the release sleeve moves under the tapered ends303 of the latch fingers. Finally, the latter ride up on the tapered end305 of the release sleeve to move the latch fingers 261 radially awayfrom the ring 265 to release the fingers and the valve sleeve 231. Thevalve sleeve 231 then moves axially under the force of compressionspring 291 until ferrule 279 reengages shoulder 287. By this time latchfingers 263 have moved over latch ring 267 and engaged therewith. At thesame time valve sleeve 231 has moved relative to the valve section 229of the mandrel to place valve chamber 227 in communication with outletport 237 instead of outlet port 235.

With ports in the new position just described, when relative movement ofthe valve section 229 of the mandrel and the cylinder extension 75 issuch as to cause engagement of ring 297 (FIG. 13) with the shoulderprovided by end 311 of pin 313 of anchor barrel 315 (FIG. 18), furthersuch movement causes movement of the release sleeve 285 toward the latchfingers 263. This continues until the guide nose 317 of the releasesleeve moves under the tapered ends 319 of the latch fingers. Finally,the latter ride up on the tapered end 321 of the release sleeve to movethe latch fingers radially away from the ring 267 to release the fingersand the valve sleeve. The valve sleeve 231 then moves axially under theforce of compression spring 293 until ferrule 281 reengages shoulder289. By this time latch fingers 261 have moved over latch ring 265 anden-

1. Apparatus useful in earth boring comprising a force applicatorincluding linear means adapted for connection to a drilling machine toload the latter linearly, force means for applying linear force to saidlinear means including a cylinder around the outside of the linear meansand a piston connected to said linear means and slidable within thecylinder, cylinder anchor means connected to the cylinder for releasablyengaging a bore wall, and auxiliary anchor means connected to saidlinear means for releasably engaging a bore wall, said auxiliary anchormeans as well as said cylinder anchor means each including means forexerting force components against the bore wall in a plurality ofopposing directions and each comprising expansible means expansiblebetween the bore wall and the respective one of said cylinder and saidlinear means at a plurality of angular positions about the axis of therespective cylinder and linear means effective to exert said opposingforce components, said linear means being rigid and of fixed lengthbetween the piston connected therto and the auxiliary anchor meansconnected thereto, said linear means, piston, and cylinder being coaxialwith their axis disposed to be coaxial with the axis of such bore wallengaging means, said linear means being tubular and providing conduitmeans for supplying fluid to actuate said drilling machine.
 2. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 including anti-rotation means connecting thecylinder to said linear means to prevent relative rotation thereof whileproviding for relative axial motion thereof.
 3. Apparatus according toclaim 2, said auxiliary anchor means including a barrel around saidlineal means and affixed to said lineal means adjacent one end of thebarrel, seal means sealing between said barrel and lineal means adjacentthe other end of said barrel, the space between said barrel and mandrelin between said seal means and the place of affixation of said barrel tosaid lineal means defining a compartment, and port means for admittingfluid to said compartment.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 2, saidauxiliary anchor means including a barrel forming part of said linealmeans and a sleeve inside said barrel sealed at each end thereof to saidbarrel, and port means to admit fluid to the compartment formed betweensaid mandrel and barrel in between the positions where they are sealedtogether.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 2 including a rotary drillingmachine connected to said linear means at one end thereof.
 6. Apparatusaccording to claim 5 wherein said lineal means is tubular providingmeans to supply fluid to a drilling machine connected thereto. 7.Apparatus according to claim 6 including valve means in said linealmeans for supplying fluid from said lineal means to said cylinder anchormeans, to said auxiliary anchor means, to said force means at the outerside of said piston, and to said force means at the inner side of saidpiston.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 including stop means to limitrelative axial travel of said cylinder and said lineal means, andcontrol means responsive to said cylinder and lineal means reaching thelimits of their relative travel for controlling said valve means tosupply fluid to said cylinder anchor means and the outer side of saidforce means in one position of said valve means and to supply fluid tosaid auxiliary anchor means and to the inner side of said force means inanother position of said valve means.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 2including means at one end, sometimes hereinafter called the inner end,of the linear means for making connection to a drilling machine, andmeans at the other end, sometimes hereinafter called the outer end, ofthe linear means for making connection to power supply means. 10.Apparatus according to claim 9 including guide means connected to saidlinear means on the side of said piston nearest said outer end of thelinear means.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said auxiliaryanchor means is connected to said linear means on the opposite side ofsaid piston from said guide means, said auxiliary anchor meansfunctioning as an auxiliary guide means when in the released condition.12. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said antirotation means isconnected to said linear means at the side of said piston nearest saidinner end of said linear means.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 12wherein said cylinder anchor means is connected to said cylinder at theside thereof nearest the inner end of the linear means.
 14. Apparatusaccording to claim 13 including guide means connected to said linearmeans at the side of said piston nearest the outer end of said linearmeans.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said cylinder anchormeans is connected to said cylinder at the side thereof nearest theinner end of the linear means.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 15wherein said cylinder anchor means includes a barrel around said linearmeans, said barrel being connected to said cylinder at the side of thecylinder nearest the inner end of the linear means, and saidantirotation means includes said barrel and barrel cooperating meanscarried by said linear means, the outer periphery of said barrelcooperating means and the inner periphery of said barrel includingcooperating means preventing relative rotation thereof.
 17. Apparatusaccording to claim 16 wherein said cylinder anchor means includes meansto seal between said barrel and said linear means on opposite sides ofsaid barrel cooperating means.
 18. Apparatus according to claim 9,wherein said auxiliary anchor means is connected to said linear means atthe side of said piston nearer the inner end of said linear means, saidauxiliary anchor means functioning as a guide means when in the relaxedcondition.
 19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said cylinderanchor means is connected to said cylinder at the side thereof nearestthe inner end of the linear means.
 20. Apparatus according to claim 19including a primary guide means separate from said auxiliary anchormeans, said primary guide means being connected to said linear means onthe side of said piston nearest said outer end of the linear means. 21.Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said antirotation means isconnected to said linear means at the side of said piston nearest saidinner end of said linear means.
 22. Apparatus according to claim 9including first and second fluid passage means for conducting fluid tosaid force means at the outer and inner sides of said pistonrespectively and third and fourth fluid passage means for conductingfluid to said cylinder and auxiliary anchor means respectively. 23.Apparatus according to claim 22 including guide means connected to saidlineal means at the outer end thereof, said guide means including abarrel shaped body having bore wall engaging means spaced apartcircumferentially around the outer periphery thereof, hose connectionmeans extending outwardly from said body and having five fluid pathstherethrough, and communication means communicating said first, second,third and fourth fluid passage means with four of said five paths, saidfifth path communicating with said lineal means, said lineal means beingtubular providing means to supply fluid to a drilling machine connectedto the inner end of said lineal means.
 24. Apparatus according to claim23, said communication means comprising pipe means having fluid passagestherein, four of said fluid passages each extending from the inner endof said pipe means to a separate port in the outer periphery of the pipemeans and the fifth of said fluid passages extending from the inner tothe outer end of said pipe means, said body of said guide means having asocket adapted to receive the outer end of said pipe means and havingfour annular grooves at the inner periphery of said socket communicatingwith four ports in said pipe means and with said four paths, said fifthpath communicating with said fifth passage at the bottom of said socket.25. Apparatus according to claim 22 including valve means effectivewhile in a first condition to block said second and fourth fluid passagemeans while said first and third fluid passage means are open and whilein a second condition to block said first and third fluid passage meanswhile said second and fourth fluid passage means are open.
 26. Apparatusaccording to claim 25 including control means automatically to shiftsaid valve means between said first and second conditions.
 27. Apparatusaccording to claim 26 including stop means to limit relative axialtravel of said cylinder and said lineal means, said control meansoperating upon said cylinder and lineal means reaching the limits oftheir relative axial travel.
 28. Apparatus according to claim 25 saidvalve means including reversing means to modify said valve means toprovide that in a third condition thereof the first and fourth fluidpassage means are blocked while leaving the second and third fluidpassage means open and that in a fourth condition thereof the first andfourth fluid passage means are open while the second and third fluidpassages are blocked.
 29. Apparatus according to claim 28 includingcontrol means automatically to shift said valve means between said firstand second conditions when said reversing means is inoperative and toshift said valve means between said third and fourth conditions whensaid reversing means is operative.
 30. Apparatus according to claim 29including stop means to limit relative axial travel of said cylinder andlineal means, said control means operating when said cylindeR and linealmeans reach the limits of their relative axial travel.
 31. Apparatusaccording to claim 30 wherein said control means includes a pilot pistonand cylinder means in one of said first and second fluid passage means.32. Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said lineal means is tubularproviding means to supply fluid to a drilling machine connected thereto.33. Apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said means at the outer endof the lineal means for making connection to a source of power comprisesconnections for five fluid path means communicating with said first,second, third and fourth fluid passage means and said said means tosupply fluid to a drilling machine.
 34. Apparatus according to claim 33including three conduit means in said lineal means providing said first,second and third fluid passage means.
 35. Apparatus according to claim34 including a fourth conduit means in said lineal means providing saidfourth fluid passage means.
 36. Apparatus according to claim 35 whereinsaid auxiliary anchor means is nearer said inner end of said linealmeans than said antirotation means, said fourth conduit means extendingthrough said antirotation means.
 37. Apparatus according to claim 32including conduit means having five fluid channels connected to saidmeans at the outer end of the linear means for making connection topower supply means, said five fluid channels communicating respectivelywith said first, second, third and fourth fluid passage means and withsaid means to supply fluid to a drilling machine.
 38. Apparatusaccording to claim 37 including a cart, and a reel means on said cartfor winding up thereon said hose means.
 39. Apparatus according to claim38 including a first source of fluid connected to the one of said fluidchannels that communicates with said means to supply fluid to a drillingmachine and a second source of fluid connected to the other four fluidchannels.
 40. Apparatus according to claim 39 including control meanscarried by said cart for controlling fluid flow to said other four fluidchannels from said second source of fluid.
 41. Apparatus according toclaim 40 wherein said control means includes valve means in onecondition to connect said second source of fluid to those two of saidfour fluid channels leading to said cylinder anchor means and the otherside of said force means and in an other condition to connect saidsecond source of fluid to the other two of said four fluid channels, andactuator means to shift said valve means from said one condition to saidother condition and vice versa.
 42. Apparatus according to claim 41including means actuated when said mandrel and linear means are indifferent relative positions for moving said actuator means to shiftfrom one condition to the other and vice versa.
 43. Apparatus accordingto claim 41 wherein said control means includes reversing means tointerchange the communication between said second source of fluidleading to two of said four channels both of which two are connected toone of the two groups of channels, i.e. the group connected to the twoanchor means and the group connecting to the force means.
 44. Apparatusaccording to claim 41 wherein said control means includes time delaymeans to delay disconnect of communication from the one of said fourchannels that leads to an anchor means until a preset time after openingof communication to the other of said four channels that lead to ananchor means and to delay effecting communication to one of saidchannels that leads to the force means until said preset time fordisconnecting communication to the other one of said channels that leadsto the force means.
 45. Apparatus according to claim 44 wherein saidcontrol means includes pressure responsive means to insure that fluid issupplied to said force means only above a preset pressure afterfunctioning of said time delay means.